


Bury Me in Satin

by Briana_Hale



Category: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (TV)
Genre: Depression, F/M, Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Suicidal Thoughts, heartsongs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:07:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24195631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Briana_Hale/pseuds/Briana_Hale
Summary: If I die young, bury me in satinLay me down on a bed of rosesSink me in the river at dawnSend me away with the words of a love songZoey is meeting Max's family for the first time in their relationship. At their Thanksgiving dinner, she becomes aware of the difficulties that one of his cousins has been facing.
Relationships: Zoey Clarke/Max Richman
Comments: 6
Kudos: 29





	Bury Me in Satin

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve just started watching Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and I adore it! #TeamMax all the way! I’ve had this idea stuck in my head for a while and wanted to share it with you guys! The timeline doesn’t really matter, but I imagine this story to take place around two years after the pilot episode. I’m not entirely sure how old the characters are so I’m going to say that, in this fic, they’re around 27/28?
> 
> I don’t own this show or any of its characters, just a couple of the new ones that I put in this one-shot. I’ll put the title and owner of the heartsong at the end of the story so that I don’t spoil anything haha. 
> 
> This is unbeta’d so I apologize for any mistakes.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Max turned to her as the car rounded the corner. 

“For the fifth time, Max: yes. I want to meet your family.” Zoey assured him. Her boyfriend attempted a weak smile, but Zoey knew that wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear. She knew that Max didn’t have the best relationship with his family, especially his father, but it was still important to her that she looked them in the eyes at least once.

Zoey and Max had been together for over a year now, but she had yet to meet anyone other than his mother and older brother who had come to visit him in San Francisco a year prior. This was the first family function that she would be attending with him.

As far as Zoey is aware, Max only goes home to see his family once a year for Thanksgiving. Last year, she had been too wrapped up in her grief over her father’s death to attend with him; but this year, as soon as he mentioned it, she had asked for the dates so that she could book a flight for them. 

Max sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face. “I’m sorry. I know I’ve been difficult about this. They’re just so…” He trailed off, shooting her an exasperated look to finish his sentence.

Zoey chuckled, having heard all the stories from his over-professional cousins who seem to think every conversation is a business transaction to his bougie aunt who flaunts her late husband’s money in tasteless ways. “Well, I think it’s a little late to back out now.” Max grumbled and Zoey almost laughed at how out of character it was. “Oh c’mon, I know you want me to meet Isla.” She sing-songed, hoping to bring him out of his worries. Zoey beamed in victory when he cracked a small grin at the mention of his favorite cousin.

Zoey was insanely curious to meet Isla Richman, who was the only family member that Max mentioned regularly. He had always described her as the younger sister he never had and Zoey knew he missed seeing her. Zoey smirked knowing just how to get a rise out of him. “Can’t wait to ask her about all the stories you’ve told me.”

Just as she predicted, Max attempted to cover up his smile with a disgruntled “Oh dammit, I’m so getting my ass kicked”, but his spirits were, nonetheless, lifted. He smiled knowingly at her gesture and brought her knuckles to his lips in silent thanks.

They arrived at the humongous house around five, parking down the street as it seemed they were the last ones to arrive. Zoey sucked in a sharp breath, as rivulets of her repressed anxiety were finally allowed to seep through the cracks of her composure. She’d held it all back until now, knowing that if she showed any hesitance it would send her tense boyfriend over the proverbial edge; but her heart thumped rapidly as they walked up the long pathway toward the ornate house (Max’s Aunt Trina was hosting this year). Zoey took note of the professionally manicured hedges and flowers that lined the path and the immaculate home which she did not doubt had waitstaff to take care of it. 

As they reached the door, Max suddenly stopped and grabbed Zoey’s hand, halting her movements as well. With his free hand he brushed her cheek and his warm gaze was steady now as he took in her worried blue eyes. “I’ve got you.” He murmured knowingly and she breathed out a sigh as he laid a soft kiss to her pink lips. Even when he was on edge himself, he always stopped to take care of her first. 

With that, her boyfriend steeled himself, clearing his throat before reaching up to ring the ostentatious doorbell, gold plating surrounding the jade stone set in the middle. Max’s hand hovered over the doorbell, preparing to press it, before he hesitated and turned back to her once more. 

“I’d, uh, prepare myself if I were you.” He warned, the ghost of a smile toying with the edge of his lips.

“Wha-” Max’s finger descended on the jade circle and Zoey froze as she was cut off by the deafening ringing of a gong. She turned to him with wide eyes, suddenly feeling completely unprepared.

The lacquered oak double doors were flung open unceremoniously as a nearly inhuman screech greeted the pair. 

“MAXIE!” Zoey was sure that this woman’s style would cause even Mo to quirk a manicured eyebrow. The heavy robe-like dress she wore was outlandishly loud, a theme further accentuated by the chunky rings and hoop earrings that the woman accessorized with.

She greeted Max, leaving a bright red lipstick mark on his cheek as a souvenir, then turned her attention toward Zoey. “And you must be the girlfriend! I’m Trina. Can’t tell you how relieved the whole family was to know lil’ Max was finally gettin’ some!” Zoey floundered as Max’s aunt threw arms around her neck, turning bright red at her casual remarks. Her voice was heavily intoned by a New York accent.

Out of the corner of her eye, she met Max’s apologetic gaze and watched as he rubbed the back of his neck - a signal she knew meant that he was embarrassed. Zoey gave him a weak attempt at a smile as Aunt Trina wrapped her bony fingers around Zoey’s wrist, biting back a grimace as the woman’s scarlet crimson talons dug into her pale skin.

Trina dragged the two of them into the humongous main room (that Zoey would have time to gape at later) and announced them to the rest of the family. “Look who’s here!” All eyes turned to the couple as they stumbled into the room. 

“Oh, Max! You’re here, Darling!” His mother, Sarah, rose from her perch on the edge of the couch to heartily embrace her younger son. Zoey smiled at the gentle, contented expression that took over her boyfriend’s face. He missed his mother, she knew, but their relationship had grown strained in tandem with his fraying relationship with his father. 

“Maxwell.” Speak of the Devil.

Jacob Richman resembled his son in just about every way possible, physically. An older, more age-worn version of the face that Zoey had grown to love regarded his son who he had not seen in a year. They had the same brown eyes but, while Zoey loved to say that Max’s were the color of melted chocolate, she was more inclined to say that Jacob’s looked like poop. Like a big, heaping pile of German Shepherd poop after a long walk. Or, at least, those were the thoughts that ran through her brain immaturely at the moment.

Zoey saw the way that her boyfriend changed in the presence of his father, a man who had never made him feel anything other than inadequate. She watched the way that his spine straightened, his shoulders rolling back. She watched the muscle of his jaw twitch in a way that she would have thought was hot had it not been out of anger. “Dad, it’s good to see you.” His voice was low, stilted in a way that she had never heard it. It was as if every trace of the Max she knew was gone, as if he was making an effort to force out the parts of himself that he knew his father didn’t like. 

“Is it now?” The man who had not even risen from his chair to greet his son threw a dismissive glance in their direction as he turned back to the television and Zoey could only spectate helplessly as Max’s heart sunk lower, though he didn’t show it on his face. She saw it, though, in the way his eyes darted away from his father to the floor. It broke her heart. For as long as Zoey had known him, no one had ever been able to make Max Richman feel as if he was less than. No one except, it seemed, his father.

In an effort to fill the tense silence that had momentarily overtaken the family, Max’s sister-in-law, whom he had spoken fondly of in past, wondered out loud if dinner was prepared yet. 

They continued making the rounds and Zoey was introduced to a good number of cousins, spouses of cousins, and children of cousins. Zoey knew Max was desperately searching for his favorite cousin, but she had yet to make an appearance. 

As they conversed with Max’s cousins, Zoey was sure she had never talked about her job more in her life. But that, it seems, described Max’s family to a ‘T’. All work and no play.

It wasn’t until just before dinner that Isla Richman made her appearance. Zoey saw her before Max did. 

Distracted from the droning of Max’s cousin, Terrance, about one business transaction or another, Zoey glimpsed a family member who she had not seen before quietly jogging down the giant staircase. She was noticeably younger than everyone else (save the babies) and Zoey had no doubt this was who she had been waiting to meet all night. Curiously, Zoey noticed the positively melancholy expression that adorned her face. But, that changed pretty quickly.

She watched as Isla glanced around the room before her eyes landed on Zoey's boyfriend. The younger girl’s eyes lit up and an expression of unadulterated relief overtook her features. “Max!” Isla exclaimed, taking a running start and running full speed into him. 

Max let out a grunt at the impact, stumbling slightly, but quickly returned the embrace with equal fervor. Zoey looked on, elated at the pure happiness that she saw on Max’s face, but couldn’t help but notice the desperate way that Isla’s fingers clutched at his shirt. As the young girl pulled away, Zoey’s eyes were drawn to her left wrist, where Isla’s hand had meandered to rub at over the material of her sleeve. 

After their reunion, Max reached for Zoey, literally pulling her away from her conversation. “Zoey, this is Isla, my baby cousin. Isla, this is my girlfriend, Zoey.” Max looked positively giddy at the prospect of two of his favorite people meeting and Zoey and Isla shared an amused look at his expense.

“It’s amazing to finally meet you, Isla.” Zoey embraced the young woman. “I’ve heard quite a bit about you from this one over the years,” she gestured to her boyfriend who simply shrugged, “but I’m dying to hear your side of the stories.”

Isla laughed at the comment but, even to the ears of someone who’d only just met her, it sounded hollow. Out of the corner of her eye, Zoey saw that Max had seen it too.

Once dinner was ready, everyone grabbed their plates and spread out all over the enormous living room to eat. Zoey nearly groaned in delight as she dug into the pot roast that Trina’s personal chef had prepared. She and Max were following a conversation between two of his cousins about the merits of working from home and it was all Zoey could do not to fall asleep.

She was zoning out of the conversation, thinking about the newest update for the SPRQ phone that was in development, when her ears perked up at the beginning notes of a heartsong. Zoey sat up straight and glanced around the room as the melancholy tune grew stronger, searching for the source of the music.

Zoey’s eyes locked on Isla who sat between her father and aunt, their conversation going silent in favor of the young girl’s song.

If I die young, bury me in satin  
Lay me down on a bed of roses  
Sink me in the river at dawn  
Send me away with the words of a love song

The words and sorrowful expression on Isla’s face sent a sharp knife straight through the coder’s heart as she pondered over the implication of the words.

Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother  
She'll know I'm safe with you when  
She stands under my colours, oh and  
Life ain't always what you think it oughta be, no  
Ain't even grey, but she buries her baby

Isla circled behind the couch, laying her hands on her mother’s shoulders and leaning her head up against hers. A tear dripped down her cheek as she sang

The sharp knife of a short life,  
Well, I've had just enough time

As she sang, Isla wandered over to the middle of the room, facing all of her family and pulling at the delicate sleeves of her blouse until they tore at the wrists, revealing red, angry cuts that had been hastily bandaged. Zoey gasped and covered her mouth as she took in the passionate display before her.

If I die young bury me in satin.  
Lay me down on a bed of roses  
Sink me in the river at dawn  
Send me away with the words of a love song

The heartsong was desperate in a way that Zoey had never seen. Isla’s voice ringing out clear and ethereal, but her movements seemed almost erratic as if she were attempting to control herself but the anguish continued to fight its way into the open.

The sharp knife of a short life,  
Well I've had just enough time  
So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls  
What I never did is done

Though she had never been the best at reading other people, Zoey looked directly into Isla’s eyes and saw the desperate plea for help, for escape.

A penny for my thoughts, oh no I'll sell them for a dollar  
They're worth so much more after I'm a goner  
And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singin'  
Funny when you're dead how people start listenin'

At the word ‘dead’, Zoey felt the warm tears trailing down her face, just as they did on Isla’s. Every word she sang was potent with the agony she seemed to feel

If I die young bury me in satin  
Lay me down on a bed of roses  
Sink me in the river at dawn  
Send me away with the words of a love song

Isla’s song began to quiet as she went still, surveying the room full of her family and taking in each of them as if for the last time. When she had finished, she slowly, calmly made her way back to her seat. As she went, she swiped at the tears beneath her eyes until her face showed no trace of them

The ballad of a dove  
Go with peace and love  
Gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket  
Save 'em for a time when your really gonna need 'em oh  
The sharp knife of a short life,  
Well I've had just enough time  
So put on your best boys, and I'll wear my pearls

As the song played out, Isla’s face seamlessly transitioned, her forlorn expression being masked by a false smile.

“Zo?” Zoey turned to meet Max’s concerned gaze. “What’s wrong? Hey, what’s going on?” Max cupped her cheek, his thumb coming away wet as he ran it beneath her eyes. Zoey looked past him and saw that they were essentially alone in the corner of the room, his cousins having gone off to talk to some other people.

Zoey took in her boyfriend’s worried face and dreaded his reaction to her next words. “I just heard Isla sing, Max.” His frown deepened as she continued. “I’m afraid for her. I didn’t know the song, but it was so sad and she kept talking about…dying.” Max grew still and it was as if his entire body tensed at once.

“Where is she?”

About to point out Isla’s seat to him, Zoey paused as she took in the empty spot where she had been earlier. “Where’d she go?”

She met Max’s eyes and could see the fear creeping into his expression. “We need to find her. I can’t- Zoey what if-?”

“Hey,” she grabbed both of his hands and forced him to look at her, “we’re going to find her and make sure she’s safe. And then we can figure out what’s going on.” Max squeezed his eyes shut and nodded wordlessly. “I think we should split up so we find her faster.”

Max agreed and the two headed off in opposite directions. Zoey took off up the grand staircase to search the upper level of the house. As she rushed down the hall on her right side, Zoey held her breath each time she opened a door in search of Max’s cousin. 

Of course, she wanted to find Isla as soon as possible, but Zoey found herself hoping that she wouldn’t be the one to find her. She had only just met Isla and for this to be the first conversation they had? She’s sure that Isla would respond much better to Max in this situation and Zoey couldn’t blame her. If she ever felt the way Isla did, she knew Max would be the one she’d want to talk to.

However, it seemed as if there were other plans in store. With her hand on the handle of the next door down the hall, ready to burst in in search of Isla, Zoey heard the tell-tale sounds of crying on the other side. She paused, knowing that a loud, startling entrance would not be the move right now. Instead, she pulled out her phone and shot a text to Max.

Found her. Upstairs, hall on the right side, fourth door.

With that, she slid her phone back into her pocket and brought her fist up. A moment of hesitation later, she knocked softly on the door. Zoey heard the sharp intake of breath on the other side as Isla attempted to silence herself. “Isla?” Zoey called warmly. “Can I come in?”

No response met Zoey’s ears, but seconds later, the handle turned and the door opened a slight crack. Zoey took it as an invitation and slipped inside, shutting the door softly behind her. 

She took in the guest bedroom that was more well-furnished than her entire apartment. Sheesh this woman has more money than I’ll ever need. Isla sits on the floor in the corner of the room, next to the entrance to the walk-in closet. She doesn’t meet Zoey’s eyes as she scrubs the tears from her face with her sleeves.

Zoey quietly sits down next to her and for a few moments they are silent as Isla attempts to compose herself. Then Zoey speaks: “Y’know, I’m thinking that you’re not feeling quite your best right now.”

A teary scoff left the younger girl’s mouth. “I wonder what gave you that impression.”

Zoey sent her a small, closed-mouth smile. “Well, I did notice that you didn’t look too happy all through dinner.” Isla shot her a surprised look. Zoey shrugged, “I’m just a little intuitive with these things.” That particular statement couldn’t be further from the truth, but it was better than attempting to tell Isla that she had heard her thoughts in song form. “Wanna tell me what’s up?”

To her surprise, Isla’s face screwed up as another wave of tears overtook her and she began to confide in Zoey. “I-I’m just so tired of not mattering to anyone.” She chokes out after a breath. “I mean, I know they love me, but if I wasn’t their daughter I doubt they’d bother.”

Zoey frowned, not understanding. “What do you mean?”

Isla chuckled bitterly through her tears. “I’m not stupid. Terrance is twice my age and both my parents were nearly fifty when I was born. I know I was an accident. My parents do love me, but it’s like they’re too old to be raising me now. They don’t want to be parents anymore. They’re getting ready to be grandparents and I’m just in the way of this new stage in their life.”

The young woman shut her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Max was the only one who ever treated me like I really mattered.” Isla confessed, her voice breaking. “And, now that he’s gone, I just feel so alone. I’ve always felt like an outsider in this family, I could never be perfect enough for them, I know that. But when Max was home, we had each other, we were outsiders together. Now, it’s like I could scream and none of them would ever hear me. 

“Why should I keep going if no one cares? No one gives a damn about me. It’s so exhausting trying to please them only for them to see through me over and over and over again! I wish I could just...stop.” If it was possible, the empty, tired expression that had overtaken this seventeen-year-old girl’s face was worse than the tears. The tired, worn-down look in her eyes was one Zoey had seen in people three times her age after they had seen a lot of life, a lot of bad. The fact that Isla felt like this now spoke volumes.

Zoey tried to figure out what she could possibly say in this moment. “Isla…” She took a deep breath. “Isla, I’ve never met you before today, but I already know that you are so, so important.” The befuddled look in the teen’s eyes as she looked up at her prompted Zoey to continue speaking. “The first time I heard your name was five years ago, about a week after I met your cousin. We had stopped at a coffee shop and Max was trying to figure out what to get. I don’t even think he realized he said it but, after he took a sip of his drink, Max said ‘too sweet, Izzy would love it though’. I asked him who ‘Izzy’ was and he just smiled at me and said ‘only my favorite person in this world’.” Zoey smiled at the memory, remembering how sweet she had always thought it was that Max loved his cousin so much.

“I heard so much about you from then on. What you liked, what you hated, what you thought was funny. I heard so many stories about you from the first time he held you to the moment that Max had to say goodbye when he left for San Francisco.” Zoey gave Isla a soft smile. “He cares about you so much, Isla.”

“He’s not always here, though.” Isla chokes out painfully.

Zoey laid a hand on top of the other girl’s. “But he always cares.”

“Zoey’s right.” A gentle voice from the door affirmed. The two of them glanced up as Max entered the room quietly. When he reached them, Max knelt down before Isla. “Why didn’t you tell me what was going on, Isla?” He asked, his expression sorrowful.

Isla sent him a sad smile. “Every time we talked, you seemed so much...lighter. I knew that you were happy, are happy in San Francisco. I didn’t want to burden you with this. I...I’m already a burden on the rest of our family. I couldn’t bear it if I became one to you too.”

Max just shook his head and looked his cousin in the eyes. “Isla, I promise you: however heavy a burden you think you would be on me, not actually would be, but think you would be,” he swallows, his voice catching in his throat, “losing you would be unimaginably heavier.”

He looks at Zoey. “A year ago, Zoey’s father died, a man who I had cared about a lot. I’d never felt pain like that before, and I know she agrees. In our family, we’ve always known that it was you and me against the world, Izzy. Losing you is a pain I never want to experience.” 

Isla broke, sobs jarring the silence between all of them as she hugged her cousin with all that she had. Max embraced her, his arms tight as if he was afraid that if he let her go, she’d disappear. “I never want you to feel like you can’t talk to me, Izzy.” She simply nodded against his chest and the three of them sat in the silence for a couple minutes. 

When she was finally ready, Isla released her cousin and wiped her face once again before turning and giving Zoey a hug of her own. “Thank you, Zoey.” Isla murmured softly. Zoey simply squeezed her tighter in response.

Max smiled at them, but once again, it fell away to reveal a concerned furrow in his brow. “I just hate that you still have to deal with all of this. I don’t know what to do.”

Isla hesitated before speaking. “Actually, I have an offer from San Francisco State to play soccer for them. I wasn’t going to accept it because I…” She trailed off. “But now, I think I want to.”

Max and Zoey beam at her. “That’s amazing, Izzy. I can’t wait! You’re going to love it out there and we can see each other much more often.” Max said. “And maybe…”

Isla cocked her head in curiosity. “Maybe what?”

“Maybe I can talk to your parents and, if you’d like, you can come out to San Francisco a couple months early during the summer to get to know the city.” Max suggested.

Isla’s eyes welled with tears. “You’d do that for me?” 

“Of course I would, Squirt.” He responded affectionately.

Isla looked at the both of them and, with an expression of pure gratitude on her face. “Thank you.” Once more, she pulled both Max and Zoey into a heartfelt embrace.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two days later, when Max and Zoey hugged Isla goodbye before driving off to the airport, they were comforted by the large smile on her face, a promise to keep in touch, and plans for her arrival in SFO airport in just a few short months.

**Author's Note:**

> The song is If I Die Young by The Band Perry.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! Read and review, please!


End file.
